Valerie Harper's Terminal Brain Cancer Close to Remission

Thursday

Aug 29, 2013 at 5:17 PM

There may be some good news on the horizon for Valerie Harper. Harper's doctor revealed on Today that the actress' brain cancer may be close to remission.In January, Harper was diagnosed with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, a rare condition that occurs when ...

TV Guide

There may be some good news on the horizon for Valerie Harper. Harper's doctor revealed on Today that the actress' brain cancer may be close to remission.

In January, Harper was diagnosed with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, a rare condition that occurs when cancer cells spread into the fluid-filled membrane surrounding the brain.

"We're getting pretty close to remission," Dr. Rudnick, Harper's nuero-oncologist, told Meredith Vieira, noting that Harper has defied the odds. This could mean that the rumors about Harper joining the new season of Dancing with the Stars could be true.

Still, Dr. Rudnick cautions that Harper's condition could change at any time, meaning that Harper has only bought herself some time. "[The cancer cells] develop resistance to the therapy," he said. "And it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when."

Fall TV 2013: Familiar faces in new places

Harper became famous when she landed the sidekick role of Rhoda Morgenstern on the CBS comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She then starred in her own spin-off Rhoda. She won four Emmys and a Golden Globe for the role. In 2009, Harper was diagnosed with lung cancer, which she wrote about in her recent memoir I, Rhoda.

Watch the full interview below:

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